Law on Amendments to the Law on Diplomatic Missions of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Abroad specifies several new regulations regarding the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Article table of contents
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary is the head of a diplomatic mission at the embassy level, the official representative of the head of state, nominated and introduced by the head of state through a letter of credence.
In addition to the basic standards of a member of the diplomatic mission, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary must also meet the following standards:
- Absolutely loyal to the Fatherland and the Constitution of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; have good moral qualities, firm political bravery, protect national and ethnic interests;
- Have a university degree or higher; have a bachelor's or advanced political theory level; have been trained and fostered in knowledge, expertise, and foreign relations skills; proficient in at least one foreign language suitable to the job requirements;
- Master and have the capacity to advise, direct, and effectively implement the state's foreign policy guidelines and policies; have the ability to aggregate, analyze, and forecast; have the ability to organize, manage, unite the internal team, and cooperate with relevant agencies, organizations, and individuals to successfully complete assigned tasks; have management experience, and work in the field of foreign affairs; have held the position of deputy director or equivalent or higher;
- Physically fit to complete the assigned tasks; within the age range to complete at least one term of office, except in special cases, depending on the requirements of foreign affairs, working area, capacity, and personal reputation, as prescribed by the Government of Vietnam.
Additionally, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary can be considered the head of the following diplomatic missions:
- The head of the diplomatic mission is either an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary or a Chargé d'Affaires in case an Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary has not been appointed;
- The head of the diplomatic mission at the United Nations is a Permanent Representative with a diplomatic rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. The head of the diplomatic mission at other international organizations is a Permanent Representative, a Permanent Observer, or the President's Representative at international organizations with a diplomatic rank of Ambassador or Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Parallelly, the process of appointment, dismissal, dispatch, and recall of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary is stricter:
The Prime Minister of Vietnam proposes => The Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam approves => Resolution => The President of the Republic, based on the Resolution, decides the appointment, dismissal, dispatch, and recall of the head of the diplomatic mission, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Regarding supports and incentives: Additional policies for members of the diplomatic mission include:
- Covering travel expenses in cases where the parents or parents-in-law or spouse, children of the diplomatic mission member pass away;
- Minor children accompanying the member of the diplomatic mission are partially supported for tuition fees in the receiving country and costs for purchasing health insurance.
Additionally, the term of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary can be extended by 03 months if necessary due to foreign affairs requirements.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is responsible for "Deciding to extend the term of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for no more than 03 months; proposing to the Prime Minister of Vietnam to decide to extend the term of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary beyond 03 months if necessary due to foreign affairs requirements, and reporting to the Standing Committee of the National Assembly of Vietnam and the President."
Thus, in addition to meeting extra standards for appointment, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary also enjoys many new benefits and incentives compared to previous regulations.
Details may be found in Law on Amendments to the Law on Diplomatic Missions of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Abroad in 2017 effective from July 01, 2018.
